Jill Zarin has been removed from E!'s upcoming series 'The Golden Life' following her social media criticism of Bad Bunny's Super Bowl halftime performance. The production company cited her recent public comments as the reason for parting ways. Zarin feels blindsided and disputes characterizations of her remarks as insensitive.
Jill Zarin, a veteran of 'The Real Housewives of New York City' (RHONY), was fired from E!'s forthcoming reunion series 'The Golden Life' on February 10, 2026, according to multiple reports. The show, produced by Blink49 Studios, aims to bring together original RHONY cast members including Luann de Lesseps, Ramona Singer, Kelly Bensimon, and Sonja Morgan as they navigate life in Palm Beach, Florida. Production has not yet begun.
Blink49 Studios issued a statement to Variety: "In light of recent public comments made by Jill Zarin, Blink49 Studios has decided not to move forward with her involvement in 'The Golden Life.' We remain committed to delivering the series in line with our company standards and values."
The firing followed Zarin's now-deleted Instagram video posted on February 8, 2026, reacting to Bad Bunny's Super Bowl halftime show. In the video, Zarin described the performance as "the worst halftime show ever," stating, "It’s 250 years that we’re celebrating right now in the United States, and I just don’t think it was appropriate to have it in Spanish." She added, "I don't speak Spanish. I would've liked to understand the words that he was saying. To me, it looked like a political statement because there were literally no white people in the entire thing."
Zarin also called Bad Bunny's dancing "inappropriate" for children, claiming he was "grabbing himself every five seconds," and commented on surprise guest Lady Gaga, saying she "got a facelift" and that Zarin "didn’t recognize her."
Sources close to Zarin told TMZ she believes she was punished for expressing an opinion, noting that other Housewives have made worse remarks without consequences. They dispute accusations that her comments were insensitive, insisting those who know her would view the characterization as unfair. Zarin, who helped drive the reunion project, feels the decision was premature and is confused by what she sees as cancel culture. She deleted the post quickly after rewatching the performance and recognizing its cultural importance, and sources say she is upset that her remarks were interpreted as targeting a broader group.
A source close to Zarin expressed disappointment that producers did not use the incident as a "teachable moment" on the show. Meanwhile, RHONY alum Sonja Morgan praised Gaga's Latin-fusion rendition of "Die With a Smile" on X, replying to a fan post with "So good" and a smiling emoji.
Zarin was part of RHONY's original cast alongside Luann, Ramona, Bethenny Frankel, and Alex McCord; Kelly joined in season two, and Sonja in season three. The series was rebooted with a new cast for its 14th season in 2023.
